Automatic vending device



June 2, 1942. A. MEYERS AUTOMATIC VENDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l War/ 942 INVENTOR Abra/Lam flk emr BY 2 e i ATTORNEY June 2, 1942. A. MEYERS 2,285,218

AUTOMATIC VENDING DEVICE NV ENTOR Aralzdnz We BY "is I ATTORNEY terial part of this disclosure:

Patented June 2, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC VENDING DEVICE Abraham Meyers,'Brooklyn, N. Y. Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,817.

9 Claims. (Cl. 312-35) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in vending machines for articles, food and the like.

More particularly, the invention proposes to characterize the vending machine by a wallhaving a plurality of doors arranged in substantially Vertical lines, and a turn table behind said wall and having a separate shelf for each door. It is contemplated to provide each door with a coin controlled lock device so that persons desiring to purchase an article displayed on the shelves behind the'doors may obtain same.

Still further the invention contemplates to so arrange the turn table that an attendant may supply new wares to the various shelves after a purchase has been made. It is proposed that the attendant be stationed behind the wall.

Still further the invention contemplates an .a glass panel so that a prospective purchaser may View the articles.

Still further a novel arrangement is contemw plated for automatically stopping the turn table from rotating when a door is open so that a customer may remove the purchased article.

, Anotherobject of the invention resides in hingedly supporting the doors atone of their sides so that they may swing open in a convenient direction not to interfere with the removal of the purchased articles.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a ma- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a wall with a plurality of doors and a vending machine arrangement associated therewith and constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 3--3 of 2.

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

The vending machine for articles, food and the like, in accordance with this invention, includes a wall I0 provided with a plurality of doors arranged in vertical lines. These doors are located at a convenient height for persons in a restaurant to view. A shelf I2 is mounted on the wall [0 below the doors U. Turn tables H are disposed behind said wall It], and have a separate shelf 5 for each door Each turn table 14 is provided with a'plurality of vertical strips. l6 mounted at spaced positions on the edges around the shelves 5 for holding the shelves in a unit. Means is provided for rotatively supporting each turn table l4 and includes a vertical bottom shaft ll. A stud shaft, I8 is mounted on the top of each turn table and engages a bearing l9 to assist in rotatively supporting'the turn table. The vertical bottom shaft I1 is provided with a top clutch member 20.

Means is provided for rotating the vertical shaft l1 and includes a bottom clutch member 2| engaging the said top clutch member 20. This bottom clutch member 2| is mounted upon a vertical shaft 22 rotatively supported in a bearing 23. A sprocket 24 is mounted on the shaft 22 andis engaged by a driver chain 25. This driver chain extends along the length of the wall, and is connected with some prime mover, not illustrated on the drawings. The arrangement is such that the chain 25 simultaneously drives the bottom clutch members 2| of the various turn tables. -When these clutch members 2| are'engaged with the top clutchmembers 20, the turn tables rotate.

Means is provided for lifting each vertical bottom shaft I! a small distance to disengage the clutch members 20 and 2| during certaintimes. This means includes a flange 26 on the shaft I"! and engageable by a cam2l mounted on a plunger rod 28 which is manually operable. The plunger rod 28 is supported through a bearing 29. It has one end projected to the rear of the device. This projecting end is provided with a knob 30. An expansion spring 3| is coaxially arranged on the plunger 28 and acts to normally urge the cam 21 into an inoperative position. The spring 3| urges theplunger outwards. When the plunger rod 28 is forced inwards, the cam 21 will ride beneath the flange 26 lifting the shaft I the slight distance.

This device may also be used without rotating the turn tables I, by stopping the motor, or if it is desired to stop the rotation of certain of the turn tables, the clutch members 20 and 2| may be disconnected in any desired manner.

Means is also provided for operating the lifting means characterized by the cam 21, when any one of the doors ll of a particular turn table is opened. This means includes cables 33 attached to the cam 21 and extended over a plurality of guiding pulleys 34 mounted on different points on the wall Ill. The cable 33 has various branches 33 which connect with arms 35 fixedly mounted coaxially with the doors II. More specifically, each door II is hingedly mounted by a hinge construction 36, at one side. This hinge construction has a projecting stem 36* extending into a portion of the wall In beneath the door. The arm 35 is attached upon the stem 36 The wall lil adjacent the arm 35 is formed with -a recess 31 to give the arm 35 a greater latitude of motion. A spring 38 is coaxially mounted on a stem 36 and acts between the door I l and the wall ID for normally urging the door H closed.

A coin controlled release device is provided for latching each door ll closed. Each of these devices includesa coin slot 40 mounted on the wall ill adjacent the door into which a coin may be dropped. This. coin will fall into the body ii of the coin release device and the coin may be seen .from the outside through a transparent member il which may also be covered by a suitable magnifying glass. The coin release device is provided. witha projecting arm 32 which normally. engages a keeper 13 mounted on the door H. Aknob 44 is mounted upon the wall ll) immediately adjacent the coin slot ll]. This knob 14 has'a stem portion which extends through the wall, and its inner endis provided with a cam ts engaging beneath the rod 42. When the coin releases the rod 42, the knob 54 may be turned so that the cam .55 lifts the rod 4'2 out from the keeper it; The door H may now be moved open.

A small sign 46 is mounted upon the wall it] adjacent each coin slot 45 giving the number of coins required. to be deposited. in order to obtain desired foods.

A curved cover 481s disposed behind each turn table so as to prevent persons to the front of the wall ill. looking through the turn table to the rear of the wall. Eachcover 48 is movably mounted on a track system 49 mounted on portions of the wall it above and below the top and bottom ends of the turn table M. Each cover 58 is provided with a handle 50 by which it may be manually moved. The track system 49 is such that an attendant to the rear of the wall may grip the handle-Wand move the cover 48 around to uncover the turn table to him, and simultaneously place. the cover is in a position across frontporti'on of theturn table, shutting off the view of persons to the front of the wall.

The operation of thedevice is as follows:

The drive belt or system 25 is continuously operating, rotating all of the vertical shafts 22 of the'various turn tables it, simultaneously. Normally, each of the turn tables i l is in a lowered positionsothat. the clutches 20 and 2| thereof engage; The various turntables thus receive rotation from the shafts 22.

Persons to the front of the wall It} may inspect the various articles displayed on the shelves i of the turn table I4. Apurchase maybe made by depositing 'a coin in the slot 49 adjacent the door H through whichthe article is seen. The coin will operate the coin release device 4| for freeing the arm .42 thereof. The purchaser may now turn the knob 44 so that the cam 45 lifts the arrn 42 free from the keeper G3. The door ll may now. be pulled open about its hinge 36.-

W-hen the-door -II is moved open; the-radial arm 35 will pull one of the branch portions 33 of the cable system 33. This causes the cam 21 connected with the cables 33 to move forwards engaging beneath the flange 26 and lifting the shaft it and thus the turn table I4. This disengages the clutches 2E! and 2| and this turn table stops turning. The purchaser may now fully open the door and if none of the vertical bars I6 of the turn table 14 is in the way, this bar may be gripped and moved to one side or to the other, causing the turn table to slightly turn to a nonobstructive position. The flange 26 of the shaft ll merely rests on the cam 27. Consequently, the turn table may be manually turned. The merchandise is then removed. The door H is released and will be closed by the spring 38. Immediately the cable system 33, 33 is slackened and the spring 3i will move the cam 21 to its inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 3, which permits the shaft H to move downwards reengaging the clutches 28 and 2!. The turn table l4 now continues its rotations. A customer may select and obtain additional articles from additional "selves; of the various turn tables by a repetition o1- the operation above.

An attendant may refill the shelves of the turn tables by manually forcing the knob 3i] of any particular turn table'inwards. This moves the earn 2? beneath the flange 26 lifting the shaft H which stops rotation of the turn table. The cover 48 is then moved toan open position and the shelves. may be replenished with merchandise.

While I have illustrated and described the preferredembodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructionsherein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United StatesLetters- Patent is:

l. A vendingmachine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having aplurality of doors in a vertical line, a turn table behind said wall and having a separate shelf portion for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened.

2. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, a turntable behind said wall for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said turntable comprising a plurality of circular shelf portions one for each of'said' doors, strips connected between edge portions-ofthe shelf portions, and a top rotatively supported.

3. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, a turntable behind said wall and having a separate shelf portion for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, meansfor lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said doors being hingedly mounted at one of their sides.

4. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, a turntable behind said wall and having a separate shelf portion for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the "bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical-shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said verticalshaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said means for rotating said vertical shaft comprising a stud shaft rotatively supported and provided with said bottom clutch member which engages said top clutch member,

a sprocket on said stud shaft, and a drive chain for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said means for lifting said vertical shaft comprising a flange on the vertical shaft, a camengageablebeneath said flange for lifting the same.

6. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, ,a turntable behind said wall door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said means for lifting said vertical shaft comprising a flange on the vertical shaft, a cam engageable beneath said flange for lifting the same, and manual means for operating said cam. r

'7. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, a turntable behind said wall and having a separate shelf portion for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage saidclutch members, and means for.

ing said cam, including a plunger connected with the cam and a manually operable knob, on the plunger.

8. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, a turntable behind said wall and having a separate shelf portion for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom'end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said means for lifting said vertical shaft comprising a flange on the vertical shaft, a cam engageable beneath said flange for lifting the same, and manual means for operating said cam, including a plunger connected with the cam and a manually operable knob on the plunger, and means for resiliently urging said plunger into a position in which said cam is inoperative. r

t 9. A vending machine for articles, food and the like, comprising a wall having a plurality of doors in a vertical line, a turntable behind said wall and having a separate shelf portion for each door, a vertical shaft having its top end mounted on the bottom of said turntable and extended -and having a separate shelf portion for each 7 tical shaft comprising a flange on the vertical downwards for rotatively supporting said turntable, a top clutch member mounted on the bottom end of said vertical shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft including a bottom clutch member engaging said top clutch member, means for lifting said vertical shaft a small distance to disengage said clutch members, and means for operating said lifting means when one of said doors is opened, said means for lifting said vershaft, a cam engageable beneath said flange for lifting the same, said means for operating the lifting means when one offlthe doors is opened includes a cable system connecting with said cam and with radial arms connected with the doors to move when any door is opened.

ABRAHAM MEYERS. 

